Yummy Fast File Transfers

A Simple New Method That Brings Focus To Your Mac’s Apps

One of the more useful trends among Mac apps in recent years is toward distraction free and minimalist apps. One could argue that minimalist merely is a euphemism for few features and a price tag that doesn’t match the features.

Distraction free takes on a different meaning, and while it could mean a minimum of features to keep you from being distracted while you write or work, it also implies focus and that’s what I’m after today. Whether Mac, iPhone, or iPad there is much going on with our devices to distract us from getting something done. There is no such thing as multi-tasking. Either you jump from one thing to another or batch tasks to be more efficient. Regardless, there’s always something that’s vying for your attention on the screen.

HazeOver is a Mac utility that helps you focus, improves concentration, and keeps those annoying background tasks that want your attention from getting to your eyes. HazeOver lets you focus on a single app at a time and places everything else on your Mac’s screen behind a, well, visual haze.

Here’s what it takes to get started.

Immediately HazeOver goes to work by placing a haze over all the background apps visible on the Mac’s screen so you can focus on the foremost, frontmost app and not be bothered by all the visual riffraff behind.

The frontmost, active open window is highlighted as normal, while everything else on the Mac’s screen fades into a dim background (dim but you control the translucency).

It works.

The idea behind HazeOver is simple and sound. Out of sight, out of mind works. The reality of modern computing is this. Trying to multi-task takes effort and diminishes concentration, while focusing on a single task one at a time becomes more efficient and productive, and does so without the resulting mental stress.

All that happens is this. Visual focus goes to the active app in the front of everything else cluttering up your Mac’s screen. Switch to another app and the first app goes into the background while the new app becomes active and more clearly visible.

Can’t you do the exact same thing in fullscreen mode?

Yes. And no. But mostly no. Full screen mode does not work in every Mac app, and some apps just are not made for a fullscreen experience. Plus, switching from one to another takes a few more steps than a mere click on an app in the background. That makes HazeOver worth a few bucks. Lots of four and five star reviews for this cleverly designed utility and there’s even a try-before-you-buy option to make sure it can work for you.